SANTA CRUZ - UC Santa Cruz's top two officials issued a statement Wednesday criticizing plans by demonstrators to shut down the campus Thursday in protest of budget cuts.

Chancellor George Blumenthal and Executive Vice Chancellor Alison Galloway said in the statement sent to the UCSC community that students, staff and faculty understand the impact of cuts best.

"We wholeheartedly support advocacy in support of education," the statement said. "However, we take issue with a protest that simultaneously denies students access to those classes for which they have paid."

A group called Occupy Education plans to block entrances to campus beginning early Thursday morning, only permitting emergency vehicles and residents. They have planned rallies for 4:30 a.m., noon and 5 p.m. at the base of campus, where they plan to erect a "Tent University" designed for teach-ins and discussion about public education and the university administration.

The group, in joining a statewide day of action, opposes high pay for administrators amid years of tuition increases for students. The campus is holding enrollment for the fall due to a lack of new funding by the state, which is essentially a cut due to increasing costs for the university.

"It is our expectation that participants will remain respectful of the needs of the broader campus community and that the day will unfold in a safe and positive manner," the statement from Blumenthal and Galloway said. "In particular, emergency vehicles must be allowed to respond, not only to the campus but also along Empire Grade, a key artery for neighboring communities."

The officials recommended students contact instructors and staff contact supervisors before Thursday to discuss access to campus. They suggested the campus community keep up on developments by checking a webpage established to provide